Gwoza, Borno State — November 4, 2025 | Dalena Reporters
Christian leaders in the northern Nigerian community of Gwoza, Borno State, have accused Boko Haram of reducing the number of operational churches in the area from 176 to just 28 and described the campaign as “genocide” against Christian civilians. According to local Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) officials, widespread destruction of worship centres and forced flight of believers signal an intentional attempt to eradicate Christian presence in the region.
The claims were made during a press conference in Gwoza last week, where arms, photographs and testimonies from survivors were presented. According to one pastor, who led an evangelical congregation of 240 members:
“We counted 176 worship centres in this district before Boko Haram intensified its terror attacks in 2022-23. Now we are left with 28, many churches destroyed or abandoned because the people fled.”
He described how congregations were displaced, clergy killed or kidnapped, and buildings burnt or used as operational bases by insurgents. He added: “Our community has become a no-go zone for worship. It is Christian genocide, plain and simple.”
Boko Haram’s insurgency, which began in 2009, has devastated northeastern Nigeria, killing tens of thousands and destroying infrastructure. While Nigerian military officials frequently attribute the violence to terrorism and criminality rather than religious targeting, the community’s insistence on a faith-based dimension has gained international attention amid reports of rising religious-freedom concerns. The region’s context is especially sensitive given its history: Gwoza was once the capital of the self-declared “Caliphate” by Boko Haram in 2014.
Christian rights organisations have used the destruction data to petition Nigeria’s federal government and foreign partners for intervention. One CAN official noted: “Each demolished church is more than a building. It is a community displaced, a worshipper silenced, a legacy ended.”
The federal government, via its Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, responded to the claims by saying it would examine the reports and deploy new aid to diversify relief beyond internally displaced persons, including “faith-sensitive rehabilitation”. The Ministry reaffirmed its position that all religious groups are protected under the constitution.
This episode in Gwoza raises broader questions about how Nigeria defines, recognises and responds to religiously driven destruction of civilian infrastructure. As the United States maintains Nigeria-designated status as a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious‐freedom violations, incidents like these in Gwoza underscore the pressure on the Nigerian government to respond transparently and effectively.